Dita Von Teese in NYC

The dancing was world class, the performers a full international guest list, the MC an improvise master of self-deprecation, the crowd the perfect mix of downtown New Yorkers of guys and gals of all sexual predilections and of course Dita Von Teese revealing her alabaster-skinned perfect body in four separate classic burlesque pieces illustrating why she is indeed a star.

But man, was I ever looking at those costumes.

Dita must have stock in Swarovski. She cavorted in a head-to-toe pink Swarovski crystal, twirling sparkling six shooters, a bejeweled cowgirl Stetson and custom Christian Louboutin “Lou-BOOT-ins” (with shiny spurs) and matching pink bustier and girdle, stripping down to ride a mechanical bull pretty much unlike anyone you have ever seen ride it; she stripped out of a Alexis Mabille super sexy tight tux revealing a custom-made corset by Mr. Pearl, then got down to pasties and panties to splash in sparkling water in a Swarovski encrusted super-sized martini glass (this was actually the piece that opened the show); swung round her newly added “Bird Cage” piece, as water rained down her raven hair and she ended the show in a blood red Swarovksi gown of Cheongsam design (and we know all about Cheongsam and Asian influences, see our kimonos here) stripping in an opulent draped Opium Den set piece where hands jutted through to caress Dita in ways we were all envious of.

This last week of Dita’s “Burlesque: Strip Strip Hooray!” is the supposed last time the legendary performer/fetish model/alternative fashion superstar will be performing burlesque so all of us on hand this night at the Gramercy Theatre were lucky indeed to see the two hour show. The other strippers for this night (and each equally talented and sexy) were NYC legend Dirty Martini making her tassels fly every which way, Catherine D’lish spreading her thick beautiful body high atop a spider web, Perle Noire summoning Josephine Baker, the only male stripper of the night Monsieur Romeo unveiling his lean manicured self in panties and garter belt and Lada Nikolska slipping round a lip-shaped couch.

The afore mentioned MC, Murray Hill “the hardest working middle-aged man in show business,” was spot-on perfect, once again proving that you can have all the talent in the world but on a night like this, if the MC can’t keep things moving along smoothly, doesn’t know how to work the crowd (Murray managed to get three people up on stage for a dance contest that was a hoot) can’t make fun of himself, the show can die a death. Murray was just as entertaining as the dancers.

It’s wonderful to see burlesque performed at this level, and from such well-seasoned sexy performers. Those sparkly heels, garters and gloves (see a pair of our sexy gloves here) G-strings, and all those heavy crystals really made the night, proving the clothes make the lady (and man) even when a show is all about getting those clothes off.